More for the Soul: Chasing less, living more, and finding meaning in the present.

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Sometimes life makes you pause and look around at everything you’re doing. We come into this world with empty hands. As kids, we don’t care about having more; we just play, laugh, and live in the moment. But as we grow older, things change. We start chasing after all kinds of things: money, success, approval, the next big goal. We work hard, make plans, and try to build something that feels solid and meaningful.

It’s easy to get caught up in the chase. Everywhere you look, there’s this quiet pressure to have more, to do more, to be more. Social media makes it even louder. You post something, and suddenly you’re checking for likes, comments, or shares. Even if you don’t mean to, it’s easy to start measuring your worth by the approval you get from others.

I’ve felt it myself. Sometimes I’ll share a photo or a thought, and even though I tell myself it doesn’t matter, part of me is waiting to see how people react. Did they like it? Did anyone comment? Did it get noticed at all? It’s strange how quickly we can go from creating something for ourselves to hoping others will tell us it’s good enough.

But when you zoom out, you realise none of those things truly last. We can’t take any of it with us. No matter how much we gather or how much approval we collect, we all leave this world the same way we arrived, with nothing in our hands.

After writing about honesty, pain, and the choices we make, I keep coming back to what matters. It’s not the things we collect or the boxes we tick off. It’s the growth, the lessons, the people who leave a mark, and the moments that change us for good. The best things I’ve gained in life haven’t filled my pockets, they’ve filled my soul.

And if I’m honest, the moments that have stayed with me the longest are the simple ones, real conversations, quiet sunsets, a laugh shared with someone who understands, or even just a few minutes where I felt truly present and alive. These are the things I carry with me. They don’t show up in photos or on a list of achievements, but they’re the memories that matter when I look back.

The other day, I found myself watching the sunset with my phone and camera in my hands, snapping photos the whole time. I was so busy trying to capture the perfect shot that I didn’t enjoy the sunset at all. It was only the one time I actually put everything down and just watched, just breathed it in, that I felt fulfilled. That’s when I realised how easy it is to miss the beauty right in front of us because we’re too caught up trying to hold onto it.

There’s a strange comfort in accepting that. It’s not about giving up on dreams or goals, but about remembering that the most valuable things aren’t things at all. The real treasures are the people you meet, the memories you make, and the ways you grow when life doesn’t go as planned. It’s the honest conversations, the laughter that comes out of nowhere, the moments of kindness you give or receive, and the times you choose to do the right thing even when it’s hard.

I’ve noticed something else these days. Words and ideas just keep coming. I find myself writing more, even when I don’t plan to. Sometimes it feels a little strange, like there’s a part of me that needs to get these thoughts out, even if I don’t know exactly where they’re coming from. Maybe it’s because of what I’ve been through lately, or maybe it’s just life reminding me to slow down and pay attention to what’s going on inside. Writing has become a way to process it all, to turn what I’m feeling into something I can see and understand. Sometimes, the act of putting words on a page is the only way to make sense of what’s happening in your heart.

The more I write, the more I notice how much of life is about letting go. Letting go of the need to have it all together, of the fear of not being enough, of the idea that happiness is just around the next corner if you can only reach it. I’m learning that it’s okay to not have all the answers, to not always be moving forward at full speed. Sometimes the most important thing you can do is stop, breathe, and just be present with where you are.

Living in the present moment is something I’m still working on. It’s easy to get lost in regrets about the past or worries about the future. But the best moments, the ones I take with me, are the ones where I was fully there, listening, laughing, feeling, just being. That’s what I want more of, and that’s what I hope to hold onto, no matter what comes next.

I think about the people who have come and gone in my life, the ones who left a mark, even if our paths only crossed for a short time. I remember the moments that made me laugh, the lessons that came from pain, and the quiet times when I realised I was growing, even if it didn’t look like much from the outside. These are the things that stay with me. They shape who I am far more than anything I’ve ever bought or achieved.

There are days when I still feel the urge to run after more. It’s a habit that’s hard to break. But I try to remind myself that real value isn’t measured by what I have, or by the approval I get from others, but by what I give, how I grow, and how I show up for myself and the people around me. The soul gains most when we let ourselves be honest, open, and willing to learn from whatever comes our way.

We all get caught up sometimes in wanting to be seen, to be liked, to be told we’re doing okay. But maybe the real approval we need is our own. Maybe the best feeling isn’t when a post gets a lot of likes, but when you know deep down you’re living in a way that feels true to you.

The space between arriving with nothing and leaving with nothing is ours to fill. I hope, for all of us, that what we gain inside is worth far more than anything we could ever hold in our hands. And I hope the moments we truly live—the ones where we’re present, honest, and real—are the ones we take with us, wherever we go.

Speak soon,

Ruben